From January to July, Brazilian exports of cattle beef totaled US$ 2 billion, which represented an increase of 15.5% when compared to the same period last year. Shipments totaled 1.29 million tons, with growth of 2.3%.
The main market for raw cattle beef in the first seven months of the year was Russia, which imported US$ 251 million and 171,000 tons. In second place came Egypt, with US$ 230 million for 184,000 tons, followed by Italy, Holland, the United Kingdom and Algeria.
The United States, in turn, was the main destination for industrialized Brazilian beef, with imports of US$ 165 million and 97,000 tons.
Four Arab countries purchased 22.54% of the raw cattle beef exported by Brazil in July. Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia and Libya are among the 15 main buyers of the Brazilian product and purchased the equivalent to US$ 80.6 million, whereas total sector foreign sales in the month were US$ 355 million.
Egypt was still the main importer last month. The Arab country imported US$ 54.99 million in raw cattle beef, representing an increase of 40.2% in relation to the same period in 2005. Shipments totaled 43,890 tons, growth of 42.26% in comparison to the same month last year.
The second Arab country in terms of imports of raw cattle beef from Brazil was Algeria, which purchased 8,540 tons, for US$ 13 million. Then came Saudi Arabia, with US$ 7.91 million and 5,500 tons, and Libya, with US$ 4.6 million and 3,500 tons.
Apart from raw cattle beef, Brazil exported to the Arab market industrialized meats and giblets. Regarding sales of the product in the industrialized form, another two Arab countries appear in the list of main importers: the United Arab Emirates and Iraq.
Together, both countries imported US$ 1.8 million, or 2,260 tons. Giblets were shipped to Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which together purchased 759 tons of this kind of product, for US$ 676,000.
